Similar words with different meanings
Principal |
Principle |
Head, main or most important person |
Fundamental truth, law or standard |
The principal called the student into his office and explained to him the principle of time management. |
Compliment |
Complement |
An expression of praise or admiration |
Something that contributes to something else and emphasises its quality |
He complimented her on her dress, telling her that the colour complemented her eyes. |
Loose |
Lose |
Not firmly fixed in place, not fitting tightly |
Misplace something |
If your pants are too loose you might lose them. |
Lie |
Lay |
A horizontal or resting position of a person or animal |
Put something down |
You lie down on your bed, but you lay a book on a table. |
Affect |
Effect |
Have an effect on, make a difference |
A result of an action (noun) |
Then |
Than |
A point in time |
Use for comparison |
Historic |
Historical |
Important in history |
Something that happened in the past |
Partake |
Take part |
Eat or drink something |
Join in an activity, to participate |
You take part in the Comrades Marathon and then you partake of food and drink after the race. |
Titled |
Entitled |
Having a title |
Having a right to something |
In his book titled The advantages of being the boss, the author explains why he thinks people in leadership are entitled to certain privileges. |
Defuse |
Diffuse |
Make a situation less tense or dangerous |
Spread something over a wide area or among many people |
Stationery |
Stationary |
Pens, paper, envelopes, and other office supplies |
Not moving |
Emphasise/emphasize |
Empathise/empathize |
Stress a word or phrase when speaking |
Understand or share the feelings of another |
Regards |
Regard |
Best wishes |
View or consider something, in respect of something |
Closing greeting in emails: |
With regard to (NOT “regards”) |
Each other |
One another |
A reciprocal pronoun between two people |
A reciprocal pronoun between more than two people |
When you address two people: |
When you address a group: |
Advice (noun) |
Advise (verb) |
Guidance, instruction, recommendation |
Recommend, counsel, instruct, inform |
You advise somebody by giving them advice on something. |
Aspire |
Inspire |
To have hope or ambition to achieve something for oneself |
To instil the desire in someone else to achieve something; (also: to breath in) |
Wait for |
Wait on |
“Wait for” something or somebody means waiting for something to happen or somebody to arrive. |
“Wait on” somebody means acting as a servant, ie a waiter in restaurant. You can’t “wait on” something. |
Definitely |
Definitively |
Without doubt, certain, for sure |
Decisively and with authority, conclusively |
Adverse |
Averse |
Preventing success or development, harmful, unfavourable |
Against, having a strong dislike of or opposition to something |
Mediator |
Intermediary |
A mediator assists and guides parties in resolving a conflict. For example, in legal disputes. |
An intermediary is a go-between who negotiates an agreement between parties. For example, in buying and selling. |
Both are neutral parties acting on behalf of others. |
©Andrea Paulsen